The Thief
by Emerald Cranberry Juice
Summary: Love sucks, no need to deny it.  But death has a sick sense of humor, especially when one becomes a guardian angel to their ex's girlfriend.
1. Prologue

Prologue

In his book Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck writes that "the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray."

Well I don't know much about the plans of a mouse, but it would seem more appropriate if he had written, "the best laid plans of high school girls, especially Julia Washington, often go astray." Much more appropriate.

Someone once told me that high school was supposed to be the best years of your life; the years that you will always dream of, but never get back. Half of me would like to believe them, that the days of intense football games, romantic high school dances, and simply living would eventually be mine. After all, every girl dreams of her perfect high school experience. Mine just didn't turn out like I expected.

My freshman year went differently than I planned. Instead of cheering in the stands at football games, I was playing in the marching band. Instead of going to homecoming, I was in charge of the coat check. Instead of going to parties, my friend Lilah and I sat backstage at school running lines for My Fair Lady. I don't regret my choices; I have a plan and everything I do is for that plan.

I'm going to graduate and go to Julliard in New York City. Then I'm going to join the New York Philharmonic and live happily ever after goddamn it.

The thing is, He came and blew my mind wide open.

You could say that falling in love led me astray…


	2. Chapter 1

AN: Holy shit. I uploaded the prologue like maybe five hours ago and already 4 favorites and 2 alerts? I LOVE YOU GUYS.

I do not own degrassi or the oober sexy Eli Goldsworthy.

Chapter One

The fall morning was like any other. The air was crisp and pure, a trademark to Canada. Not too hot, not too cold. Absolutely perfect. Grieg's Peer Gynt blasted in my ears as I rode my bike down the busy street. Cars whipped past me in a colorful blur; each of them unique and individual. It was rare that I would hear two Mozda 3's blasting Lady Gaga with the driver singing at the top of her lungs.

Ah music.

It's not that I don't like the pop music these days, I just prefer classical. There's nothing like Grieg's Morning Mood or Copland's Appalachian Springs to start your day out with.

I took one hand off my handlebar to adjust my iPod headphones, nearly swerving into the lane full of oncoming traffic. Horns blared at me as a hearse sped past.

Oopsies.

After my near death experience, I peddled hard up the hill on which St. Margaret-Mary's stood ominously watching me weave through the parking lot and around the back of the building. I hopped off my bike and locked it to a yellow pole that stood near the garage door to the Band Room. Pulling on my school blazer from my backpack, I kicked the garage door.

"Coming!" a voice yelled. With a loud jolt the garage door began to rise. Careful not hit my head, I ducked underneath the door.

"Morning," I called. From throughout the room people hollered their greetings. I looked around the spacious room that is my home for the school year. People jammed on their guitars and basses as our killer drummer Greg Johnson kept a sturdy beat. Kelsey Howard was frantically poking out chords on the grand piano that stood in the corner. It was no secret that the song she had to write for Music Theory was due that day. And in the center of the room, seated Indian style on the Mrs. Yeller's podium was Lilah Raven and Noah Brady.

I smiled and headed over to my friends when from behind me someone yelled, "JULIA!" The music stopped; even Kelsey Howard looked up from her piano. I gulped and turned around.

My twin brother Julian stood in the garage door, his arm crossed and a disgruntled look plastered on his face. His short brown hair was a mess and his dark brown eyes were livid. "Are you crazy?" he gritted. I bit my lip. This wasn't good. "I've been yelling for you the past seven blocks."

"We only live three blocks away," I pointed out.

He held up a hand for me to stop. "Not the point. Mom told you not to listen to your iPod while you're riding down Main Street." His eyes narrowed. "Do you _want_ to get hit by a car?"

I rolled my eyes. "Stop being dramatic, Julian."

"You almost got pummeled by that hearse!"

"No, I didn't!"

"I really don't want to be burying my sister on account of her iPod." If I don't apologize to him then he's just going to keep on being pissy.

I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I just really needed to clear my head before my geometry test."

"Tell that to the hearse," he said, his arms still crossed. He looked around to the twenty or so eyes staring at our little scene. "We'll talk about this later." He closed the garage door and slammed the Band Room door shut after him.

I groaned and slumped in between Noah and Lilah. Lilah looked at me and started chuckling. "Someone's panties are in a bundle."

"No kidding," Noah laughed looking over his shoulder at the door that will probably suffer after Julian's abuse. "Thank God you don't have any classes with him."

"Tell me about it," I said. "I think he's just stressed about the tennis meet tonight after school."

"That's no reason to be a total douche though," Lilah argued. I smiled at my best friend. I've know Lilah Raven since kindergarten, and her name makes her sound more foreboding than she actually is. Although she's not in Band with Noah and I, she's an adopted band member. Her successes onstage made her confidence soar, not that she wasn't confident before. She's more proud of her unearthly white blonde hair and ice blue eyes than she was before. I always thought she looked albino, but she prefers the term ice-like.

"We should get going. Don't want to be late for homeroom," Noah said, gathering up his books. Although Noah looks like a model for Abercrombie and Fitch, he's a band geek at heart. He loves his trumpet more than his car. We've been friends since last year, and I've like him since last year.

… Shut up.

Guys like Noah don't go for girls like me. Sure, Noah's a total sweetie, but he likes his girlfriends blonde with limited verbal skills, not a brunette honors kid. Still, how can you resist a guy with perfect sandy blonde curly hair and eyes like sapphires?

Exactly.

"Why are you all so paranoid about being late?" I asked as we entered the hallway. Margaret-Mary wasn't huge like a public school, but a small private catholic school made up of two floors with a building that housed all of the art and science classes attached to the side. M-M was built around a square courtyard with the built around it. The courtyard had a stone statue of our patron saint, St. Margaret Mary, surrounded by tulips. And, of course, students weren't allowed in it. In fact, it was many students' dearest ambition to let a pack of wild turkeys into it on Thanksgiving.

Noah shrugged and tightened his grip on his backpack. Lilah and I started laughing. "Loosen up, dude," Lilah said nudging Noah.

As we passed the principal's office, Schnorr stuck his head up of his door. "Lilah Raven, can you come here for a second?"

Lilah groaned and plastered a smile on her face. "Sure."

"Wonder what she did this time," I said.

"Can't be worse than when Mrs. Hector caught her and Brad Livingston making out in the theatre," Noah said.

"True."

After a few minutes, Lilah came out looking slightly irritated. "I have to show some noob around."

"Seriously? That sucks," Noah said sympathetically. I started to nod in agreement when the door was thrown open and the student strode out.

Holy. Shit.

He was attractive, no doubt about that, and he was different. He wasn't the same as all of these clean cut preppy boys. He wasn't wearing the required uniform, but a black t-shirt with the name Dead Hand on it and black ripped jeans. A thin line of eyeliner framed his playful green eyes, nearly covered by his long shaggy dark brown hair.

"Hi, there," he said with a wink.

My heart fluttered. Oh great.

"Please, get that hair trimmed," Mr. Schnorr said, eyeing the boy. "And don't forget your uniform tomorrow."

"Wouldn't dream about it," he said, sarcasm dripping from his words. Schnorr gave him one last hopeless glance and headed back into his office.

"Let's just cut to the chase," the boy said clapping his hands together. "You leave me alone and everything will just be peachy." He shot us a thumbs up and headed down the hallway. Left and right students looked up from their book to share at the strange new boy.

"So much for noob," Lilah remarked.

"Who is he?" I asked breathlessly.

"Eli. Eli Goldsworthy," she said grimly.


	3. Chapter 2

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Chapter Two

The thought of Eli flew out of my mind the first three hours of school. I know I sound pathetic for being attracted to some guy that I just met this morning. But seriously, he was so hot. I'm a sucker for guys with green eyes. And the way he dresses? I'm not usually one for the emo guys, but he totally pulled it off. He seemed like a total d-bag, though. The way he refused Lilah's help.

Okay so maybe I'm still thinking about him. Don't judge me.

Lilah groaned as we left the geometry classroom. "That," she moaned, "was an epic fail."

"Tell me about it," I agreed. In the middle of the test, I started to drift off into a dream where a man that looked strangely like a combo of Noah and Eli was chasing me with a crossbow. Random, huh?

"So where are you headed to?" she asked.

"Chem," I sighed. I'm pretty good at Chem, but I hate it with a burning passion. My mom made me take it so that I can have a backup plan in case music falls through. Nothing like your mother telling you that. Total confidence booster.

Lilah snorted. "Why the hell did you take Honors Chemistry?"

"Because of Mr. Kessler," I said with a grin.

"Ah yes, the resident sex god teacher," she smiled. "I wouldn't mind having him explain the reproductive system to me."

"That's Biology," I said rolling my eyes.

"Of course," she said with a wink. "I'll see you at lunch."

I chuckled to myself as I entered the Chem lab. The familiar odor of gas immediately hit my nose like a large school bus. Of course, some genius left the Bunsen burners on. "What's up, Minnie?" I asked sitting next to my lab partner and close friend Minnie Valleyhord. "I thought we were going to ride to school together."

My friend tucked a long strand of honey blonde hair behind her ear and sighed. "Sorry, I had to get here early to print my short story for English class." She crumpled up the story and shoved it in her backpack. "Doesn't matter anyways, apparently I can't write worth shit."

"Who told you that?" I asked. Minnie was the most… sensitive out of my little group of friends. She doesn't take criticism well. I don't know why someone would tell her that, though. Minnie is an amazing writer.

"Some guy that transferred into my class," she said vaguely. She smoothed out the story and shoved it in front of me. "Look what he said."

_Every town has its stories, almost legends on why certain things occur. Well, growing up in Salem, Massachusetts, I've heard them all. There have been hundreds of accounts of ghosts, all of them the exact same: someone sees a mysterious being and a few seconds later it "mysteriously" disappears into thin air._

The whole beginning is incredibly cliché. If you're going to do a "scary" story you have to really commit. I would give this opening a 4/10.

"Wow, rude much?" I said.

"It just gets worse from there," she said miserably.

"You, me, Li, and Noah will TP him this weekend," I said. "Do you know his name?"

"It's him," she said pointing to the boy that just walked in. Wait, those black pants… the combat boots… motherfucker.

Eli.

He strode up to Mr. Kessler, who was writing his outline for today on the board, and handed him a note. Mr. Kessler read it and signed it. He then said something to Eli and walked over towards our lab table.

"Miss Valleyhord, would you mind working with Mr. Tucker for the time being? I'd like to have Mr. Goldsworthy working with a student that knows what she's doing for the time being?" Kessler asked. You mean for the time being?

He he.

Minnie looked back at Will Tucker sitting in the corner lab table and smiled. "No problem," she said packing up her books. Lucky duck, being able to work with her crush.

"Thanks, Mousie," Eli said with a grin.

"It's Minnie," she corrected.

"I know, Mousie." He grinned more broadly.

"Ugh!" she stomped off.

"Hello," he said cheerfully as he sat down next to me.

I glared at him. "So you're the jerk that told Minnie she can't write."

"Wow, nice to meet you too. If looks could kill, Jesus Christ." He shook his head and pulled out a binder. "For the record, I didn't say that she couldn't write."

"But… on her paper…?"

"If I tell her that her writing is fabulous then she won't be getting anything out of it, understand?" He looked at me and cocked an eyebrow. "Which obviously you've been doing the last ten odd years."

"Everyone needs praise," I argued.

"What people need is for other people to be honest to them," he corrected. "If you had been honest to her from the beginning she wouldn't be such a wreck."

I opened my mouth and then closed it. "So, you think that all of this is my fault?"

He shrugged and smiled.

"Miss Washington can you give me the electron configuration of the element Neon?" Kessler asked.

I threw one last glare at Eli and then answered, "One S two, two S two, and two P six."

To put it mildly, the class didn't get any better than that. Not only was Eli a jerk, but he was also infuriating and irritating. A complete meanie. You could say that I got over him quickly. It didn't matter how many times he would smile that crooked smile at me, the next thing out of his mouth was likely to be an insult.

"Was Chem really that bad?" Minnie asked as we walked to the cafeteria.

Eli was walking several feet in front of me. I resisted the urge to spit at the back of his pretty emo boy head. "He's just incredibly stubborn."

"Well, at least you only have to see him once a day," she pointed out.

I nodded. "True."

"Now, let's talk about how happy I am that my lab partner is Will," she smiled. For the rest of the walk she babbled about Will, at least one good thing is coming out of this lab partner nonsense. I just wish that Kessler could have stuck him with someone else.

"Julia?" Minnie asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Why is Eli sitting at our lunch table with Julian?"

I looked up and sure enough, sitting smack in between my brother and Noah. Lilah eyed the pairing suspiciously from across the table. She caught my eye and rolled her eyes.

"Oh jeez, someone looks like a happy camper," Minnie said with a snort.

"Li isn't that fond of him either."

"I thought she'd be all over him," Minnie said. "She usually goes for that kind of guy."

"Whatever, her choice."

Julian stood up and waved us over to the table. "Hey Minnie, Julia, do you know Eli?"

I was about to say unfortunately when Eli said, "Oh yes I do. Julia and Minnie have been so nice, showing me around. Isn't that right, Mousie?" Stupid sarcastic boy.

I felt Minnie tense up next to me. Two can play it that game. "Yes it is. We're going to be the best of friends."

Eli smiled devilishly.

Bring it on.


	4. Chapter 3

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Chapter Three

"Seriously Noah," I said as we headed upstairs to French for the last class of the day. "What happened to the 'Eli is a douche' plan we had this morning?"

"Seriously Julia," he said, his tone half-mocking, "he's not that bad. He was in gym with Julian and I and he seriously made ballroom dancing enjoyable."

"I always knew you rolled that way," I said, nudging him.

He rolled his eyes. "Mhm, I like me some emo boys."

"Fabulous."

"Fabulous."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Are you mocking me?" he said with a playful laugh. "Any who, I think you'll be seeing more of him; Julian invited him back to his house after the football game tomorrow."

I stopped in the middle of the hallway, causing some poor freshman to ram into my backpack. He glared and stormed past me. "Tell me you're joking."

"And he's in French next hour."

AGH!

I groaned and threw the classroom door open. Madame Thisbe raised an eyebrow and just shook her head.

"Je suis désolé," I muttered and sat down with Noah in our usual seats by the furnace. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

He shrugged and sat down in front of me. "You didn't really need to know."

"Did you hear what he told Minnie?" I hissed.

He looked at me. "You know I don't get into that drama." He turned and faced me. "Look, I really don't care if he was a douche this morning. We all have our bad days and I'm not going to judge him on a first appearance." He flipped through his binder to the vocabulary that we were being quizzed on tomorrow. And put his head down to study. "Now, I can ignore you and then you'll be pissy or we can change the subject."

I sighed. I really didn't want Noah mad at me. "Okay."

"So when are you and Lilah auditioning for Romeo and Juliet?" he asked. M-M has two plays a year, the fall one usually doesn't have any singing (thank God) and thus I am more likely to get in. This year we're doing Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. AKA Lilah and whatever guy she gets to make out with this year. Lilah's gotten the leads for the past two shows: Eliza in My Fair Lady (a show that I was lucky just to make chorus for) and Abigail in The Crucible. I'm really not all that jealous of her; I do the shows to spend time with her.

And it'll look good on my application for Julliard.

But who thinks of college their sophomore year…?

He he?

I have no life.

I'm seriously hoping that I can be the nurse. Simple role. Plus, I'll get to boss Lilah around.

"Tonight," I said. "I'm kinda nervous."

"Is someone getting lucky tonight?" Eli said sitting in the seat next to me.

REALLY. "Could you be any more perverse?" I asked.

"Yeah, I could," he said with a grin. "Julia, are you getting fu—"

"She's auditioning for the school play tonight with Lilah," Noah cut in. He cast a sideways glance at me. "Romeo and Juliet."

He raised his eyebrows. "My, my Jules. An Actress. Somehow you never struck me as the type."

Jules? Better than Mousie.

"Somehow you struck me as the type that liked to cut his wrists," I jabbed back. Eli didn't say anything back, but a malevolent smile crept across his face.

"Would you care to repeat that, Miss Washington?" Madame said from behind me.

I felt my face blush. "No… Madame. Je suis désolé."

Her eyes burned through me, as if this was the last judgment. "Don't say things like that again." She clapped Eli on the shoulder. "Now, Mr. Goldsworthy is a new student, you should be treating him with respect. Please apologize."

Eli looked as if Christmas came early. His grin became smug. "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"Now, who has any prayer intentions?" Madame continued, walking up to the podium.

I huffed, took out my binder, and began to copy down the notes on the board. Eli loudly tapped him fingers on his desk. He looked at a folded up piece of paper on the corner of my desk and then at me.

I opened it. It read:

=)

I looked at him, hoping that he got my irritation. Julia Washington isn't used to getting into trouble for being rude. Or getting into trouble at all. I clicked my pen on and wrote:

…

_You just _had _to go there with the emo joke._

_Go fuck a duck._

_Reeeeal mature. Don't want Madame to find this._

_Really._

_Being serious now, what's this about R&J?_

I looked up from the note and gave him a questioning look. He rolled his eyes and grabbed to the note off the desk to write:

_When are auditions?_

_Why…?_

_Because I want to know when I get into the theatre to torch it. TO AUDITION DUMBASS._

I scooted my desk closer to his. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "I like Shakespeare. Is that fine with you?"

"Whatever," I hissed. "Final auditions are tonight. Do you have a monologue prepared?"

He pulled a rolled up copy of Macbeth out of his back pocket and winked at me.

I stared at the book. "Why did you ask me, then?"

"Miss Washington and Mr. Goldsworthy, pay attention!" Madame boomed from the front of the classroom.

Eli winked at me again, as if saying, _wouldn't you love to know._


	5. Chapter 4

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Chapter Four

"Mmm, Will Tucker has gotten so attractive," Lilah said from her usual perch in the center section of the theatre house. Her feet were crouched up on the back of the chair in front of her. It helped her to "calm her chi." And scope out the boys auditioning for the plays.

A worthy tradition.

"Seriously, how can so much attractiveness be in one boy?" she sighed. Will waved at Maria London, who quickly sat up and adjusted her blouse to reveal her not-so-there boobs. "Pity that such a fine piece of ass is dating Maria."

"Why don't you like her?" I asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Come on! Maria is such a skank and she only gets into the shows because she has Hector in her back pocket."

"They're both going to make it," I pointed out. Maria isn't as bad as Lilah makes her sound. Sure, she can be pitchy while singing and her acting usually involves some ridiculous hand gestures, but… Never mind. She sucks.

Lilah groaned and pulled out her monologue. "Hector will probably stick Maria in some small role, like the Nurse." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat next to her. "And Will will probably be our Romeo."

"You wouldn't mind that, Juliet," I said, nudging her.

"Minnie would be so incredibly jealous."

"Eh," I started, "she's lab partners with him in Chem."

Lilah's feet landed on the floor with a loud _**thud!**_"You've got to be kidding me? She's going to end up falling for him and getting hurt, again." Minnie and Will were a kinda-sorta-not really item the summer before freshman year, when Will didn't know anyone. They went on a couple of dates, went to a few movies, but it was never official. When school rolled around, Will joined the Baseball team and Theatre and found Maria and her flat chest. Minnie was left in the dust.

"I don't think she ever stopped," I admitted. "How can you talk? You were just saying on how hot he is."

She scoffed. "Checking a guy out and crushing on him are two totally different things." She twirled the end of her hair. "If Minnie's lab partners with Will, then who's your partner?"

"Eli, the kid you were supposed to show around this morning," I said grimly.

"The guy that's friends with your brother?"

"I hope not."

"That sucks," she said with an apologetic smile. "Speak of the devil." Eli walked in and sat in the front row. "Is he really trying out?"

I nodded. "He said so in French."

"French too?" she said wide-eyed. "Major bummer."

At that moment, Mrs. Katherine Hector walked in and clapped her hands together. She was an impressive woman of five foot. Seriously, she makes up for her height, though. She sat down and pushed her glasses up. "Welcome to auditions for the fall show, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet."

"I know what you're all thinking, this woman is crazy. A high school production of such a classic, that is nonetheless in Shakespearian language. I feel like we can accomplish it, though." She looked at all of us as if to say, or else. "I presume that you all know that storyline. It's set in Verona, a city in Italy, where the two most powerful families, the Capulets and the Montagues, are in the middle of a feud. In the midst of it Romeo Montague falls in love with Juliet Capulet. It well… erm…" she scratched her head, "doesn't end pretty."

Awkward silence.

"But there's a beautiful masquerade ball and epic sword fights," she said brightly. And the two main characters commit suicide?

"So here's how today is going to go. First, you will choose a partner that you will do the reading with. Boy girl, please. We are doing Romeo and Juliet, not Romeo and Julio. Then you both will recite your monologues and then perform the scene." She looked at all of us. "Okay, you have ten minutes to practice. GO!"

Eli stood up and looked around. Please, don't see me. Don't see me. "You can uncover your eyes," Eli said dryly. He stood next to me with a bemused expression. "Partner?"

"Seriously?"

He shrugged. "It'll be an interesting interpretation."

I looked over at Lilah, who somehow snagged Will away from a very pissed off Maria. Seriously, what is she doing? She shouldn't be messing around with Will, even if it is only fun.

"Let's just get this started," I said.

We went up to the desk where Hector was sitting, reading a book and grabbed two copies of the script. "Act III, scene v," she said, not looking up from her book. "Start at Romeo's line before the Nurse's entrance."

We headed off to a corner next to a light. "So, what monologue are you doing?" Eli asked as we sat down.

"Can we skip the small talk and just rehearse?" I said.

"Seriously, what did I do to you? I'm just trying to be nice and you treat me like I ran over your cat," he said. "Why are you such a bitch to me? I never did anything to you."

I bit my lip and shifted uncomfortably. "You insulted my friends."

"But I never did anything to you."

"Yeah… But what you do to my friends you do to me," I explained.

Eli raised his eyebrows. "Tell me this; would they do the same for you?"

"Of course," I said.

"Sure you don't need more time to think about that?"

"Look, can we just start."

"I'm just trying to understand what goes through that chaotic brain of yours."

"Whatever, Deli," I said.

He snorted. "Deli?"

"You gave me a nickname, so I had to give you one."

"And you chose Deli." He shook his head. "Your lack of creativity is really inspiring. Out of all of the sardonic names you could have given me on my look, you chose a pathetic word that doesn't ever rhyme with my name."

"Well it was either Deli or Belly."

"Better leave the words to Minnie." He opened his book. "Great. Have you looked at what scene we have to do?"

I flipped to the page. "Art thou gone, so? love, lord, ay, husband, friend!" I chuckled. "Not one of these words describes you."

He laughed. "I don't know, I think love is pretty close."

"In your dreams, Deli."

"You know it, Jules," he said with a wink.

"It's time!" Hector sang from the front of the stage.

"We're fucked," he groaned.

"Just pretend I'm someone you actually like," I said.

"But I do like you. I'm in love with you, Jules." He got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing?"

He snickered. "Trying to imagine what it would be to actually be in love with you. It's not really working."

"At least that's one thing we agree on."

We took our seat and watched as everyone else performed. Hissing our lines back and forth, we attempted to become the characters that were completely opposite of ourselves.

Onstage, Lilah and Will performed their lines. It might have been my imagination, but as the scene went on, they got closer to one another until:

"Farewell, farewell!" Will read, cupping Lilah's cheek. "One kiss, and I'll descend." Lilah grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck and—

"Wow," Eli whistled from next to me. "Don't expect me to kiss you like that."

I snorted. "Believe me. Quick peck and it's all over. Only business." My stomach tumbled around inside of me, like a million Mexican jumping beans. Romeo and Juliet are supposed to kiss in this scene. I have to kiss Eli.

Sweet Jesus.

"Julia Washing ton and Eli Goldsworthy," Hector called.

"Showtime," Eli whispered.

I stepped into center stage. "Julia Washington. I will be performing Kate's monologue from The Taming of the Shrew, Act III, scene ii."

I took a deep breath and imagined that Noah was standing in front of me, listening to every word I was saying. In my head, I was standing at an alter in my wedding gown like Kate and my soon-to-be husband, Noah, was nowhere in sight. "No shame but mine; I must, forsoothed, be forc'd  
to give my hand, oppos'd against my heart, unto a mad-brain rudesby," I pointed at Eli off who was off to stage left, "full of spleen, who woo'd in haste and means to wed at leisure." I laughed to myself. "I told you, I, he was a frantic fool, hiding his bitter jests in blunt behaviour; and, to be noted for a merry man," I crossed stage right, "he'll woo a thousand, 'point the day of marriage, make friends invited, and proclaim the banns; yet never means to wed where he hath woo'd. Now must the world point at poor Katherine, and say 'Lo, there is mad Petruchio's wife, if it would please him come and marry her!" I finished, shaking my head.

"Just calm down," Eli said. The audience laughed.

"Really," I hissed to Eli as he passed me to take center stage.

He smiled. "Hi, I'm Eli Goldsworthy, well Elijah."

"Eli is fine," Hector said from her desk.

"Of course. I will be doing Romeo's monologue from Act II, scene ii." He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, smiled, and opened his eyes. "But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?"

As much as I'd hate it admit it, Eli was amazing. His eyes were as starry-eyed as our dear Romeo's. His voice was soothing and hypnotic, lulling the entire audience into a fantasy. Every so often he looked at me, and addressed me as his beloved Juliet, instead of the hated Julia. And at those moments my heart would flutter. He wasn't the whiney and emotional Romeo that Shakespeare created. No, he was the passionate Romeo that every girl dreams about; that I dream about.

"Not bad, huh," he breathed when he finished.

"You were pretty good," I admitted. "What happened to Macbeth?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I never said I was doing Macbeth. But I would say that thou ist under Romeo's charm."

And Eli's back.

As soon as we started running the scene, Eli-as-Romeo was back. It's as if he's two completely different people.

I pretended to open the door to my balcony. "Then, window, let day in, and let life out."

Eli grabbed my hand and pulled me to him and breathed, "Farewell, farewell! one kiss, and I'll descend." His arms wrapped around me as he kissed me. My fingers ran through his hair, holding him to me. The kiss was surprisingly sweet, yet passionate at the same. Safe, yet surprising. We parted and Eli grinned at me.

I cleared my throat. "Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay, husband, friend!"

Art thou gone so? God knows. One thing is for sure: I'm falling for him.


	6. Chapter 5

Please review… =(

Chapter Five

I bounded down the stairs, sliding across the hardwood floors in my black tights. Nearly colliding with the tall grandfather clock standing in the corner, I fell onto the ground. I began laughing and picked myself up and headed into the kitchen.

Julian chuckled as he sipped his coffee. "Someone's in a good mood."

"You could say that," I smiled, pouring myself a cup.

"I take it auditions went well?" He pushed me the cream and sugar.

I nodded. "Better than I thought. Did Eli tell you anything about them?"

He laughed. "Calm down. I just met the kid yesterday; we're not quite at the point of swapping stories yet."

I felt my face blush. "Just curious. We were partners and he bolted after auditions were over."

He raised his eyebrows. "Noah told me that you didn't care for him."

I shrugged. "What do I know?"

"That you're being bipolar and are probably madly in love with him."

"Am not!"

"Oh yeah, you're madly in love with Noah!" he said making kissing faces. "Noah and Julia sitting in the tree!"

"Shut up!"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Julian!" I bellowed. "Damn it, now I have to Jackie Chan your ass."

He covered his mouth, coffee spitting between his fingers. He coughed and began laughing. "Oh, how naïve you are, dear little sister."

I hopped down from my stool, and crossed my arms and furrowed my brow in fake frustration. "Little sister by ten minutes, mister."

"You don't ever let me forget." He rolled his eyes. "So what are your plans for tonight?"

I shrugged. "Probably same old. Have Minnie and Lilah spend the night."

He groaned. "I don't know what you possibly see in Lilah. She's a royal bitch."

"Yeah, and some of your tennis friends are assholes," I shot back.

"Touché." He poured himself more coffee. "I just know that she takes advantage of you-"

"She does not," I interjected.

Julian looked at me skeptically. "Okay, whatever. I'm just glad that my best friend is your love interest. So when you shove him in a closet it will be _sooo_ much less awkward."

I shoved him, causing him to drop his coffee mug onto the marble countertop. He slapped his hands down in aggravation. "Really."

I chuckled and opened the fridge. Our fridge is the epitome of pathetic-ness. Normally, fridges are covered with baby pictures, funny comic that mock another family member, or even magnets. But ours? Dad's schedule so that Julian and I will know if we have to fend for ourselves. "Peanut butter or cheese today?" I asked waving the bread.

"Surprise me." He got up and rinsed his mug and stuck it in the dishwasher. On the counter next to sink, beneath the massive pile of bills that Dad would one day "get around to," a pager buzzed loudly. Julian sifted through the paper and squinted at the tiny screen. "Hospital."

He ran over to the stairs. "Dad! Pager!"

It sounded as if a herd of rabid elephants was running down the stairs. Dad rushed into the kitchen, shirt untucked and hair in disarray. "Woke up late. Julian, can you dial the hospital's number on my cell." While Julian fished through Dad's pant pockets for the phone, Dad shoved a bagel into his mouth. I pushed him his travelling coffee mug. " 'Fanks," he said, sputtering bits across the island.

"Okay, paging again," Julian said, holding the pager.

Dad groaned and shoved his shirt into his pants. "Swear to God this job is going to be the death of me." He grabbed his stethoscope and slung it around his neck. "See you kids after school. Good luck at your tennis match!" He yelled running out the door.

Julian and I finished packing our lunches in silence. "Why didn't you tell him that your match was yesterday?"

Julian bit his lip. "Not worth it," he mumbled.

"Did you get slaughtered again?" I asked. Julian didn't respond. "If you hate it so much, then why don't you quit?"

"Because, it's the only time I can see my tennis friends," he said. It's the same lie that he tells me every time I bring it up.

"They're not your friends," I said.

"Yes, they are."

"If they were such good friends, then why are you having Eli and Noah spend the night? Why do you eat lunch with me and my friends?"

"Just stop!" he shouted. "We go through this every year. You know the only reason I do it is for Dad; it's the only thing we have in common since… since…" He faltered.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just want you to be happy." I went over and rubbed his back. He gave me a half smile. "Let's get going."

Locking the door behind us, we took out our bikes and waited on the corner as Minnie rode up to us. Her wild blonde hair followed her like a massive wave.

We plastered smiles on our faces. "Morning, Minnie," Julian chimed as she stopped right in front of us.

She smiled. "Ready?"

We nodded and took off after her.

After the first block I slowed down and let Minnie get parallel to me. "So do you want to come over tonight?" I asked. "We can go to the game and then come back. Maybe order pizza. Watch some movies."

Balancing her handlebar with one hand, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd love to, but my mom is making me get a haircut early tomorrow morning."

"Why? Your hair is gorgeous."

She smiled and half rolled her eyes. She's not comfortable with receiving compliments. "She claims that it unmanageable."

"Too bad," I sighed. "Guess it's just Lilah and I."

"I really wish I could. You know that I would rather be at your house than sitting in a beauty parlor for five hours." You think she's exaggerating with the five hours. I kid you not; it takes her three hours to simply straighten it.

A loud horn honked behind us. Out of my rearview mirror my dad insisted on attaching to the bike I saw Eli stick his head of the driver's window and wave. We slowed down and pulled off to the side.

"Is that a hearse?" Minnie whispered to me.

I was speechless. An actual hearse. Eli was driving a fucking hearse. How ironic. "Wait, this car almost hit me yesterday," I realized. It would be him.

"Want a ride?" Eli asked. He looked surprisingly attractive in his white blouse and forest green blazer.

"In a hearse?" Julian exclaimed. "Fuck yes!"

Eli grinned and got out of the car. He opened the trunk and loaded our bikes. My bike is sharing the same space that a dead person once occupied. CREEEPY.

"How did you get a hearse?" I asked.

"Starting the interrogation a little early aren't we?" he called from the front seat. "Craigslist."

I snorted. "No comment."

"You've been on Craiglist?" Minnie said, wide-eyed. "I thought only creeps and pervs were on there."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," he responded, winking at us in the rearview mirror.

"Atta boy," Julian smirked, clapping him on the shoulder.

He pulled up to the school and parked (badly) in a spot by the pole. "I don't have a parking pass yet, so this way they won't be able to tell," Eli explained.

A crowd of students entering the school stopped and stared at the massive black car. Some just stared dumbly, but most pointed and whispered. "Welcome to Margaret-Mary," I muttered.

Eli smiled. "Let them stare. More attention for me."

"You're such a diva," I snorted.

"Takes one to know one."

Julian whistled and stepped in between us. "Hey you guys are at a ten; let's take it down to a five."

I rolled my eyes. "My dear friend Eli, would you like to go look at the cast list?"

"I thought you would never ask," he said. Hurrying, we strode/power-walked/jogged to the back door of the theatre. We pushed our way through the congregation of people surrounding.

Elijah Goldsworthy- Romeo Montague

Delilah Raven- Juliet Capulet

Will Tucker- Benvolio

Julia Washington- Lady Capulet

Skyler Hayes- Lord Capulet

Olivia Worthington- Lady Montague

Patrick Svensen- Lord Montague

I stopped reading after there. A smirk slowly curved its way across Eli's face. "Huh, first time and I get the lead."

I held my finger to my mouth and jerked my head to the door. Eli cocked his head. "Hector is standing behind the door," I whispered into his ear.

"My dears, it will be an interesting play!" Lilah sang slinging her arms around mine and Eli's necks. "Hello, Romeo. Mother."

"Already in character I see?" I said.

"Never was there a tale of more woe, than that of Juliet and her Romeo!" she sang.

"Is that even right?" Eli asked.

"Lord knows."

"Hey Lilah, do you want to start running lines tonight?" Will asked, coming over to us. "Congrats, man." He gave Eli and awkward half man hug.

"Sure. Same place as last year?" Lilah asked. So much for hanging out with me tonight.

Will nodded, looking nervously at Maria who was staring at the cast list, tears running down her cheeks. "Gotta go."

The five minute warning bell rang. "See you guys in class," I said, heading upstairs to my homeroom.

Huh, Lady Capulet. The true villain in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Of course, most people think that it was all Tybalt's fault because he had to go psycho and kill Mercutio, which made Romeo kill him. But actually it was Lady Capulet that insisted on the arranged marriage between Juliet and Paris. A total bitch.

Huh, I could totally get used to bossing Lilah around for a change.

The bell rang and I gathered up my backpack and headed to English class. My teacher, Mr. Davies looked up and sighed. "Ah Julia, just the person I was looking for." I set my backpack down at my desk and approached his podium. "You play the flute in the Band right?"

I nodded.

"Perfect." He clapped his hands together. "Could I possibly ask you a favor?"

I shrugged. "Sure." Anything for my favorite teacher.

"The poem we're studying, 'My City' by James Weldon Johnson, has certain musical aspects to it. Wouldn't you agree?"

That poem has as much "musicality" in it as my left thumb. "Yeah," I lied.

"Would you be willing to compose and original score for it?" he asked. "Give it a little background music?" I hesitated. I have no experience in composing. Every time I try it, my songs end up sounding like retarded cereal commercials. "You can pick your musicians, everything."

A light went on my head.

Original composition + Noah's amazing trumpet skills = him falling madly in love with me.

I smiled. "I'd love to."


	7. Chapter 6

AN: I'm sorry that I couldn't get it up this past weekend… kinda sorta busy. So once again, I love you guys for reviewing and thanks for the love.

I don't own the fantabulous Degrassi.

Chapter Six

I stared at computer screen as I scrolled down the FaceRange home page. With a sigh I popped a piece of popcorn from the bowl next to me in my mouth. My pad of sheet music lay discarded on my floor. The clock on my night stand blinked 9:30. I've been at this for five hours and have accomplished near nothing.

I clicked on my profile and pulled up Lilah's profile.

**Delilah Wynona Raven** is stoked to be hanging out with a certain someone ;)

**Will Tucker **likes this.

Yeah, sure Lilah. "Running lines" my ass. Maria must be blind to think that nothing was going on between Li and Will.

I clicked on Minnie's profile and entered her album entitled SUMMER! The very first picture was of her and Will smiling at the camera as they sat at the pool. The next was an action shot of Will jumping off the diving board. Below this picture was a comment:

**Will Tucker **please take these pics down

Poor Minnie. I mean although they broke up a year ago, she's obviously not over him. Why else would she still have pictures of him?

The next picture was of me and her standing with Noah at Kelsey Howard's bonfire. We smiled as he slung his arms over our shoulders, a lazy grin plastered on his face. We made him take a picture with us if we beat him at badminton. He took it with us anyway. It was the first time I met him. And the first time I felt my heart flutter. Minnie and I had been playing, just the two of us (considering that we didn't know anyone in the beginning of the year besides our friends from grade school and we didn't have Lilah here to make conversation), when Minnie tripped and everyone got a look up her blue summer dress.

She blushed a violent red. Running over very quickly, a guy gave her his hand. "Nice," he chuckled as she struggled to her feet. Minnie tucked her hair behind her ear as her lip began to quiver.

I ducked under the net. "Care to teach us how to properly play?"

He glanced at Minnie, who was trying very hard not to burst into tears. He smiled. "What's in it for me?"

"Take a picture with us?" I suggested, pulling my camera out of my back pocket.

"And you guys have to eat lunch with me tomorrow on the first day," he said, shaking my hand. "Game on."

I chuckled. Some things never change.

An IM popped up.

**Minnie Valleyhord**- Not at the game?

I sighed.

**Julia Anne Washington- **Nah.

**Minnie Valleyhord-** Yeah, same. Noah texted me and said that we're kicking butt.

I bit my lip. Why would he text her and not me?

**Julia Anne Washington-** Cool.

I quickly closed the chat window and signed off. It doesn't mean anything. Noah knows that you don't respond to text messages for days. He probably knew that you would talk to Minnie and that the message would get back to you. I bet he's gonna text you the same thing.

I stared at my phone.

Any minute now…

…

REALLY.

Groaning, I flopped on my bed and turned on the TV. I pulled my bowl of popcorn close to me and watched as Frodo began his quest to destroy the one ring.

Why didn't he text me?

_The leaves started to fall around me as I walked down the cobblestone path of Rivendell. The smell of freshly cut lilacs hung in the air and mixed with the scent of freshly made bread. My floor length midnight blue gown dragged behind me as I walked down the stairs and took a seat next to Legolas._

_He squeezed my hand, leaned over and whispered, "Remember, my dear that as soon as this is over we can tell my parents about us." His blue eyes entranced mine. "Why are you so beautiful?"_

**KNOCK! KNOCK!**

I moaned and pulled my covers over my head. "Go away!"

"Julia?" someone hissed. The door creaked open. "Julia?"

I heard footsteps as they rounded to the side of my bed. My fleece blanket flew off of me. "MOTHER FUCKER!" I yelled.

"Morning," Eli grinned, waving at me.

"What," I said crawling to a sitting position, "the fuck are you doing in my room?"

He shrugged. "Noah and Julian passed out." He sat down at the foot of my bed. "I decided to see what the charming Jules was us to."

"Why?"

"I see that you just visited Middle Earth," he continued, not paying any attention to me.

"Eli, it's one in the morning!"

"So you were talking in your sleep. Dreaming about me?" he said with a wink.

"Get out!"

"Always charming," he said dryly. He reached over and picked up my pad of sheet music. "What's this?"

I snatched it away. "None of your business."

He raised his eyebrows. "Diary?" He grabbed it back. "I know you're madly in love with me. I don't need your diary to confirm that." He flipped through it, cocking an eyebrow. "Seriously, what is this?"

"Mr. Davies wanted me to write a song for English," I said. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a copy of "My City" and handed it to him.

" 'Would it be that no longer shall I see the trees? Or smell the flowers or hear the singing birds?' " he read, laughing. "Could you say cheesy?"

"Shut up." I got up and sat down at the keyboard. "Would you like to hear it?" I paused. "Or at least what I have?"

He climbed over my bed and sat next to me. "Think of me as your very own Chopin."

I plugged in another set of headphones. "You know Chopin?"

"Distantly," he said. "My dad always made me listen to classical when he drove me to school."

I put on my own set of headphones. I took a deep breath and began to play. My hands picked out the chords and notes as I had imagined them.

Eli didn't say a word. He just sat there, with his head in his hands and his eyes closed. At times he winced and other times he smiled.

"Just stop there," he said finally, pulling my hands away from the keys.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "I wasn't done."

"A chromatic for a bridge?" he said. "Do you really think that is how it should sound?"

I bit my lip. "I couldn't really think of anything else. What did you think?"

"Honestly?"

"Well, yeah."

"It was sloppy," Eli said, pulling my notebook to him. He flipped through what I had. "Your chord progressions didn't make sense and your verse didn't lead to the refrain." He took a pencil out of my backpack and circled my first two chords. "Look, you start out with a C, which I agree with. But then you move into a D minor." He pushed the book out of the way and pulled the keyboard to him. "It should be C, then F, then G."

I stared at him. "Who are you?"

Surprisingly, he blushed. "Like I said, dad obsessed with classical. He made me take piano lessons."

"Until?"

"Who said I stopped?"

"I don't believe you," I argued.

He handed me the headphones. "I take it you probably like fluff music like Debussy?"

Uhm… "No?" I lied.

He snorted. "Bull."

He rolled his wrists and began to play the opening chords of Claire de Lune. His long fingers stretched over the keys as they danced over my keyboard. He continued to create this beautiful music, taking liberties with tempo and adding some improv. His jaw was clenched tight as his dark hair fell into his eyes.

I felt my jaw drop. "That was…"

He cocked his head. "Told you so." He unplugged my pair of headphones. "Now about these headphones. They are amazing."

I nodded. "They keep a lot of sound out. Helps when Julian decides that he's Ozzy Osborne."

"Can I keep them?"

I hesitated. "Only if you help me."

He grinned. "No problem, Jules."

"Okay, Deli."


	8. Chapter 7

AN: I'm sure all of you watched Degrassi and heard some new info about Eli's family, Julia, and his relationship with her. However, before this was revealed, I imagined it a different way…

Chapter Seven

Before our very eyes September melted into October and life itself settled into a rhythmic beat. The leaves shed their green glow and morphed into licks of flames, igniting the bleak weather. The air became brisk, a pureness that comes only with fall.

My life was steady. Every morning Julian and I would wake up, cook breakfast for Dad, and then ride to school with Eli and Minnie. On the way Eli would complain about my surprising lack of musical knowledge considering I was an avid student of music. Then we would ignore each other until play practice, where he would gripe at me for my lack of progress in my original composition. We'd ride home and then start all over.

However, Eli was as reliable as a rabid raccoon.

I sat on the floor, surrounded by a pile of hand-written music that I just spent the last hour and a half transposing for my first rehearsal with my musicians for the song I dubbed "Jelly" (a combo of Eli and Julia, although I don't know where I got the –elly).

Eli kicked my foot.

I yanked my headphones out of my ears. "What?" I snapped.

He chuckled. "Someone's a bit snappy."

"Seriously, what do you want?" I picked up my pencil and began writing the trumpet part. Tapping my pencil I looked up at Eli. "Is trumpet an E flat instrument?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? So Hector..."

"No, it's a B flat." Not listening, I wrote that on the top of the blank sheet and continued transposing from my master score, which was (unfortunately) written for the instrument as if they were a C instrument.

"Julia."

"No, an A would sound atrocious there," I muttered under my breath. "Maybe an F?" Wait, yesterday in band, Noah was complaining about having trouble getting his F out. "Back to an A."

"The building is on fire."

Wait, but the clarinets are playing an A. Two instruments playing the same note would sound bad. "Damn it, Noah." If I wasn't writing this part for him I'd totally change it. "What if I just eliminate the clarinets there all together? Yes, then it'll sound better."

"Lilah just fell off of her balcony."

I erased the A. "What if I make it a minor chord? That way it would set off the major chord in the next measure."

"Will you go to Homecoming with me?" Eli asked.

I looked up. "What?"

He shrugged. "Had to get your attention somehow." He nudged my leg with his foot again. "Plus, we all know that you're madly in love with me," he added with a wink. "I see the way you glare at Lilah because _she's_ the one that gets to kiss these lips and not you."

I rolled my eyes. "Please, Eli. Do you really think so little of me that I'd be attracted to you?"

He held up his hands in defeat. "I think I'm a very attractive man."

"So what did you actually have to tell me?" I asked, picking up my music again.

He yanked the papers out of my hands and tore them in two. With a smile he threw them into the air. They noiselessly floated to the ground. My stomach dropped as I grabbed the pieces. Two weeks of work gone.

Gone.

I crumpled the sheet music; the tears flitting down my cheeks blended the notes together. Now they were a mere blur of black ink and pencil. "WHAT THE HELL!" I wailed.

He cocked a smile. "Your arrangement was shit."

"SO!"

"Your arrangement was shit. It was like musical suicide." He crouched down and pulled the ruined sheet music from my claws. With a sigh, he ducked into a classroom and tossed it into a recycling bin. "Try again."

"Eli, I have to present it next week!"

He grinned. "Better get working."

.ASSHOLE. Throwing him a glare, I pulled another piece of blank sheet music out. He left me with the notes and the original chords that we settled on earlier in the year. I wrote "Trumpet" on top.

Eli snatched the music from my hands again and tore it up. "Nope."

"WHY? What the hell is wrong with a trumpet part?" I demanded.

"You're not writing the song for yourself," he said. "You're doing it because you want to spend time with Noah."

I felt my face flush. "No I don't. We're just friends."

He snorted. "Give me some credit. I have French with you, remember? You practically drool over him every day. And when he told you he'd play in your little ensemble you were glowing." He leaned over. "And if I didn't know you, I'd have said that you guys were fuck buddies."

"ELI!"

With a laugh, he said, "Sad thing is, I do know you."

I grumbled. "So what do you think I should do?"

"It's up to you."

"You are completely worthless."

"That's what I'm here for," he said cheerfully. "Come on. Hector wanted to see you ten minutes ago."

"WHAT!" I screamed. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I told you I had to tell you something," he said.

"But you should have said that before all of the other bullshit!" I quickly shoved my pad of sheet music into my backpack and hurried into the theatre.

Onstage, the choreographer was working with Kevin, our Tybalt, on his fencing skills for the duel between him and Mercutio. Hector was sitting in the house, looking over set designs Dobby, the set designer and head of sound. Hector crossed her arms. Pursing her lips, she handed the pictures back to Dobby. "I'm sorry, these won't do."

Dobby faltered back and forced a smile. "Ok, I'll do some more sketches and give them to you tomorrow."

"Or tonight," Hector corrected.

Dobby took a deep breath. "Of course. Tonight."

I flashed Dobby a sympathetic smile as she hurried backstage. "Eli said you wanted to see me?"

Hector patted the seat next to her. "I need to talk to you."

I gulped. Sweet Jesus, that isn't a good start. "It's about Delilah Raven…" A sigh escaped my lips. Well, at least I'm not in trouble. "She's missed twelve rehearsals, two this week. It's just unacceptable. During My Fair Lady she missed twice as many and I told her that if she keeps on continuing like this than there will be consequences."

She sighed and ran her hands through her graying hair. "I like Lilah, don't get me wrong. She's a wonderful actress and a charming girl, but I can't turn a blind eye to this any longer. Opening night is one month from tomorrow and we have yet to make it through one practice with a full cast."

"She's been sick." The lie sounded pathetic even to me.

Hector raises her eyebrows. "I'm not a fool, Julia. Kevin came to practice practically dry heaving, and yet Lilah misses for what she claims are "migraines." She's an actress. She knows how to play the school nurse."

In all honesty, I have no idea where Lilah is when she's gone. Every time I confronted her about it she remained stoic and went with her migraine story. And every time she would be gone, she made me relay the message to Hector. I thought we were best friends. I told her about my mother, but yet she can't find it in her heart of hearts to tell me.

Some best friend.

"Mrs. Hector, Lilah loves acting more than life itself. In fact, if she had to pick between sleeping and acting I'm pretty sure she'd-"

Hector held up her hand. "If she loves it so much, why isn't she here?"

I bit my lip.

"I don't want to do this, but I'm giving her role to you. You have a knack for memorization and your audition with Mr. Goldsworthy was splendid."

"Please, don't," I begged.

She grimaced. "I'm sorry, Julia, but my decision is final." She flipped through her script. "Places for Act III!" she called.

Kevin ran off stage right as Will (Benvolio) and Andrew (Mercutio) came onstage. Eli evaluated me as I stood next to him. "You okay?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. "Lilah's going to kill me."

"Why?"

"Hector gave me her role."

Eli's jaw dropped. "No way. Why?"

I shrugged. "She was sick of her absences."

"Wow," Eli breathed.

"Tell me about it."

The stage door opened, the lone beam of light breaking the darkness of back stage. Lilah slid in. Hector, who was seated close to the door, grabbed her arm and led her out into the hall.

After ten minutes of whispering and raised voices, they came back in. Lilah's gaze was murderous. Standing next to me with a firm grip on my arm, she hissed,

"Die, bitch."


	9. Chapter 8

AN: I know that I'm not giving you guys the romance va va voom that you all want, but please stick with me. The plot will get better and more intense and not as fruffy (for lack of better words). Please stick with me. If you open this please review… leave a love note… or a hate comment. If you hate it I'd love to know.

Sorry it's taken so long to update

Chapter Eight

Have you ever woken up the next morning and wondered if it was all a dream? If this truly happened. If the past few days weren't a figment of your imagination or a gigantic scheme to mess with your head. Every moment you waited for someone to jump out from around a corner and yell, "April fools!" And you waited… and waited….

But it never came.

I became an outcast in the place I once called home. It seemed that everyone heard about the Juliet situation. People whispered behind my backs ("Didya hear about Julia Washington?" "Yeah, what a backstabbing bitch." "Who does that?"), called me names , and judged me for something they didn't even know what the original situation was. In their eyes, Lilah was the victim and I the ruthless power-hungry warlord. Perhaps she was. Honestly, who knows?

They saw the bright, sparkling Lilah. The loudest laugh in the room and the most outgoing person you ever met. When they looked at me, they saw the shy, quiet, self-contained Julia. The last person you would see at a party because she was "too good" for that whole scene. The theatre saw a snitch, one who robbed a talented actress of her moment. I thought that they would stand by me; that after spending a year with me they knew the true me.

I thought wrong.

"Madam, I am here. What is your will?" I recited.

Eli threw his script down and banged his hands on the cafeteria table. "For the love of God, Julia, this isn't a school speech. Give it some emotion."

"Maybe we should just eat lunch," Noah suggested.

Minnie nodded in agreement. "We're hardly qualified to help you learn your lines." She glanced over her shoulder at Lilah sitting at the theatre table. She shook her head, muttering, "pathetic."

I shot a small smile at my friend. I didn't ask her to choose between the two of us, she chose on her own accord. She called Lilah's argument for my betrayal "pathetic" and "uninformed." Minnie said that she knew that this day would come, when Lilah would show her true colors. It was a "pity it was at my expense, though." When she told me this, it made the bearing the load a tiny bit better.

"She needs to learn her lines!" Eli insisted. "We're off book tomorrow and she doesn't know Act Five at all and Act Four is in shambles."

"I'm right here," I said coldly.

He rolled his eyes. "Oh don't play the wounded hero."

"Man, just lay off," Julian said. Eli opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it after a glare from Noah.

I threw my head down into my arms. "What the hell was I thinking?" I was crazy for agreeing to this; I can't memorize five acts in two weeks. A fool's choice.

Noah patted my hands. "Julia, you can do this. If anyone can, it's you."

My heart flip-flopped as my eyes met Noah's. In an instant, I felt as if I could actually do this. If Noah believed in me, then everything would be fine. Those blue eyes, those sea eyes, could convince me that I could conquer the world, that I could fly, that there is such thing as love.

Eli snorted into his pudding. "Down girl," he whispered into my ear as the bell rang. I stuck out my tongue.

So what if Eli knows that I think that Noah is attractive? I mean has Eli ever even liked someone? I glanced at Eli. He was arguing with a distraught Minnie about her over-use of dialogue in her stories. His piercing green eyes were those of a man who ate puppies and children for breakfast. And Minnie looked like an chewed-up puppy.

How can he play the role of Romeo without ever being in love? It's a hard emotion to replicate. To look at someone, and imagine their lips pressed on yours. Or their hands on your body, touching every inch of your skin. The touch of their hair intertwined in your fingers in a single moment of breathless passion. To hear them sigh your name in pure ecstasy.

Not that I would ever imagine that…

"Hey! Julia!" Noah ran up the stairs behind me. I stopped at the top of the stairs. "Look, don't listen to Eli."

"It's hard not to," I grumbled. I threw my bag on the floor next to my desk. "What if I can't do it, Noah? Hector is expecting me to be the same girl that she saw at auditions."

He raised his eyebrows and sat down. He turned around and simply smiled. "Jules, if anyone can do this, it's you."

I felt my face flush. Damn you, Noah and your ability to make me believe in myself. I glanced at Noah as he pulled out his French binder and began doodling in the corner. He never burdens me with his problems. It's always, "what's wrong, Julia?" or "Is everything okay?" Noah. Always a smile and a hug. Would it sound completely selfish if I wanted to be needed for a change? For me to comfort him.

I shook my head. Be realistic. You suck at comforting people. That's why you and Lilah always talked to Minnie. She always knows the right thing to say.

Noah nonchalantly turned around and began doodling on my French binder. "So, what are you doing for homecoming?"

My heart skipped a beat. Homecoming? Please, dear God, tell me that he's gonna ask me. Lilah, Minnie, and I skipped last year. We claimed it was because we didn't know any guys yet. Truth is, Lilah and I knew that Minnie was still broken up over Will.

I bit my lip, trying desperately not to squeal. "Well, uhm, I'll probably go with Minnie and maybe Kelsey Howard." I tried not to look into his sea eyes. "Why do you ask?"

He cleared his throat. "Because—"

"Afternoon, kiddies," Eli announced sitting next to me. "Now, shouldn't you be practicing your lines, dear sunshine of my life?"

I scowled. "Shut up." Turning back to Noah, I tried to look at him underneath my lashes like Minnie does. "What were you saying?"

"Bonjour class!" Madame Thisbe called, turning on the TV. "Se taire!" She held her finger to her lip and motioned for Noah to turn around.

Have I ever told you that I really hate French?

After seventh hour I bounded out of European History and hurried to the Band Room. I dodged the other students, knocking into open lockers, and scurrying as fast as my legs could carry me. Why did Noah bring up homecoming? He must be asking me. We're finally moving past the friend zone.

"Julia!" Eli called from behind me.

Keep moving. He'll get tired and stop yelling.

"Julia!"

Don't stop now.

"BITCH! STOP RUNNING FROM ME!"

I stopped. "What the hell, Eli?"

He grinned. "I knew it would make you stop."

I groaned and hurried towards the Band Room.

"Look, there's something you should know," he started.

I threw open the doors. Standing on the podium, with a bouquet of white daises in his hands, was Noah. His eyes were lively, his pure laughter and personality reflected in them. His face fell at sight of me. "Wrong one," he hissed.

Behind him was a large banner, Lilah's work no doubt.

**Minnie: Homecoming?**


End file.
